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All I Am – Another Art Journal Page

Orlando the Marmalade Cat has been the star of the show for the last three posts, I decided it must be my turn again! And today I decided to work in my art journal again – I haven’t since September 14th [Be the Change …….] My how time flies!!

All I knew when I started was that I wanted to work with my new Monte Marte acrylics, which I’ve had since the end of August and still hadn’t opened. They are beautiful – rich, thick and creamy and as you will see, with a fabulous depth of colour.

I started by laying down some old book pages, which I gessoed over and then I painted.

When the paint was dry I used a couple of acrylic stamps – one with scratchy marks on it and one with words – and randomly plonked them around the pages. Finally a small Dyan Reavelly stencil came into play and I used a dry sponge with almost no gesso on it to dab out the spots and flowers.

With the background done I sketched the head outline in pencil then painted the area white. Once that was dry I could settle in and let the features begin to reveal themselves.

I had three colours on my palette for the face and added in some metallic bronze for the hair – in real life when the light hits the page the hair sparkles 🙂

By the time I had finished painting her the words were clearly in my mind, so I wrote them out onto book paper, cut them out and stuck them in before I could change my mind.

When I first found you a couple of weeks ago I meant to come back and check out your art. I have been looking at it this morning, it’s just gorgeous! Clever you! I want to try some mixed media art and really have no idea how to do it so when I do I shall refer back to get some tips. Beautiful work here. I have never lived by the sea but oh, that would be my ideal!

I’m so glad you came by for a look – thank you for your kind words. [I always see what could be improved on so am never more than vaguely satisfied….] Still working on the cottage by the sea, still visualising…

Aren’t we our own worst critics? Maybe that what drives all great artists, that need for perfection in their own eyes. I could never be one, I haven’t got the patience required to hone any skills I do have 🙂
Ah, that would be bliss.

I must try and collect some old books that I’m willing to use. That is so interesting as a canvas with all the words peaking out. Do you search for the perfect page? I noticed Original next to your eye 😀 As you know, I just broke out my pencils and having some simple fun, but this is so creative. I’ve seen gesso in the scrapbook stores but hadn’t known how to use them. I bet your local shop would love you to share a project in a class!

I love the words you’ve added too. Just like honing a fab artists hand, aren’t we all a work in progress.

I’m glad you’re snoopy too 🙂 I do try to find a book page that bears either some appropriate words or at least content that fits the theme I’m working with – not always possible and sometimes when the muse is running the show I have no control and just let her do her thing …… that’s usually when projects actually work 🙂 I don’t really shop at my local store, it’s prices are way too high and so I get most of my stuff over the interwebby. Gesso is a great tool if you use paints – primes, adds texture, thins, hides, stops paper bleed – etc etc.